Clayton, Duper show their old form

Mark Duper, the 32-year-old receiver who caught seven passes for 134 yards Monday, was explaining his 43-yard touchdown reception that made 26-year-old cornerback Eric Thomas look like he was wearing hiking boots.

``It was a matter of timing,`` Duper said, standing in front of his locker, enjoying a dip of snuff after the Dolphins` 37-13 victory over the Bengals Monday night. ``I wanted him coming toward me when I made my move inside.``

Duper was speaking with the air of a professor explaining calculus. But he didn`t speak for long.``Tell the truth, snaggletooth,`` Mark Clayton said without looking up from his equipment bag, into which he was stuffing his shoulder pads. ``I set the guy up.``

Duper smiled.

``Yeah, you did,`` Duper said.

It was yet another case of teamwork for Duper and Clayton, the Marks Brothers who refuse to grow old.

For Duper, Monday was his first 100-yard receiving game since the playoff game last January in Buffalo. Clayton caught six passes for 69 yards, and two of his receptions were touchdowns.

Clayton`s first TD was the play of the game Monday, a juggling catch that displayed Clayton`s hands as well as his nimble feet.

``I don`t really know what happened,`` Clayton said of his first TD. ``I just knew I had to catch everything thrown my way.``

Clayton also caught a 16-yard TD pass with 6:31 remaining. Clayton ran a fade route to the back to the right side of the end zone, looked up and saw the ball.

The score put Miami ahead by 20. More importantly, it came two plays after a fumble recovery by Louis Oliver, a quick strike that the Dolphins haven`t always had this season.

What happened Monday made 1984 seem like yesterday. Clayton, Duper and Dan Marino, connecting on virtually everything they did. They are in their ninth year together, and the experience is showing. As the playoffs near, the Dolphins` dangerous trio starts getting hot.

``Has it been that long?`` Clayton asked, grinning, when he was asked to comment on his nine seasons with Marino. ``Feels like a couple of years. We were really having fun out there today. Dan was on fire. He was putting balls right where they needed to be.

``I know what he`s thinking, and he knows what I`m thinking. That feels good.``

What also felt good for Clayton was watching Duper run off with his 43-yard touchdown reception, the first score of Monday`s game.

Facing second and 10 on the Bengals` 43, Marino called for Duper to go long, down the left sideline. Duper juked Thomas a dozen yards from the line of scrimmage, and was uncovered from there.

Clayton enjoyed watching the play because he had so much to with its success.

Two plays earlier, Clayton ran an out-route to the left for six yards and a first down. Thomas was on coverage, and Clayton made him think the Dolphins would be working underneath.

When Duper did his thing, Thomas was ripe for the picking.

``After my catch, we came right back at that corner, and he didn`t know what to do,`` Clayton said. ``I was open on the other side, but Duper was even more open than I was. He put the move on that guy, and he was open by 10 yards.